Deep Breakfast

Last updated
Deep Breakfast
Deepbreakfast.jpg
Original artwork 1984–1986
Studio album by
Ray Lynch
ReleasedDecember 12, 1984
RecordedSeptember–October 1984
StudioRay Lynch's home studio [1]
Genre New-age
space music [2]
Length40:20
Label Ray Lynch Productions
Music West (1986 reissue)
Windham Hill Records (1992 reissue) [3]
Producer Ray Lynch
Ray Lynch chronology
The Sky of Mind
(1983)		Deep Breakfast
(1984)		 No Blue Thing
(1989)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [4]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]

Deep Breakfast is the second album by American new-age artist Ray Lynch, released on December 12, 1984, on Lynch's own label. After signing with Music West Records, the album was released more widely in March 1986. [6] By October 1986 the album had sold 72,000 copies, becoming Lynch's breakout work. [7] The first track "Celestial Soda Pop" was tapped for the theme song of the NPR show Fresh Air , increasing exposure and sales of the album. [8]

Contents

Current album artwork Ray Lynch - Deep Breakfast (album cover).jpg
Current album artwork

Upon its re-release, the album was universally praised for its new-age style melding of electronic and classical sounds. In 1989, the album peaked at number 2 on Billboard 's Top New Age Albums chart, behind David Lanz's album Cristofori's Dream . [9] The album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1994. [10]

Concept

The album's title and some of the song names were taken from the then-unpublished The Mummery Book by Lynch's spiritual teacher, Adi Da Samraj. [11] [12] [13] The line inspiring the album's name was reprinted on the back of the LP sleeve in 1986: "Evelyn slapped Raymond on the back with a laugh. 'You must be starved, old friend. Come into my apartments, and we'll suffer through a deep breakfast of pure sunlight.'" [3] In an interview with Cymbiosis , Lynch said that "Celestial Soda Pop" was named by a friend of Lynch after hearing that song for the first time. [13]

The artwork used for the album was oil painted by Lynch's friend, Kim Prager. [14]

Reception

Joe Brown of The Washington Post praised the album, calling it an album that is "effective with headphones". Brown particularly praised the song "The Oh of Pleasure", stating that it "uses gradual amplification to give the strange sensation that you're being drawn deeper and deeper into the sound." [15] Bill Henderson of the Orlando Sentinel called the album a "rare surprise", praising its "smoothness and sheer beauty." [16] P.J. Birosik of Yoga Journal called the album "the breakthrough new age pop record". [17] David Stockdale of Sunday Tasmanian labeled the album more than "a modern masterpiece" because "It's an absolute joy to behold." Stockdale also compared some of Lynch's works in the album to Vangelis, especially in "Your Feeling Shoulders". [18] William Ruhlmann of AllMusic gave the album five stars, praising the album's use of "deeply textured melodic structure and a buoyant rhythmic underpinning ". [4] Digital Audio & Compact Disc Review praised the album, believing that it is a "step forward toward maturity for New Age music." [19] Electronic Musician noted that the album is rooted from baroque music, specifically in the way Lynch "constructs neoclassical, melodically beautiful songs of remarkable clarity." The magazine also noted that "Lynch's relationship with synthesizers is a bit different from a keyboardist's" due to his background as a lutist. [20] In an article regarding the artist, Steve Korte of CD Review considered the album a classic. [21]

On June 3, 1989, Cash Box magazine commented that the album became "the only gold album ever by a new age artist on an indie label." [22]

Track listing

Deep Breakfast includes the following tracks. All music is written by Ray Lynch, except where noted. [23]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Celestial Soda Pop" 4:37
2."The Oh of Pleasure" Tom Canning, Ray Lynch 5:18
3."Falling in the Garden" 2:44
4."Your Feeling Shoulders" 7:28
5."Rhythm in the Pews" 4:09
6."Kathleen's Song" 4:05
7."Pastorale" 5:26
8."Tiny Geometries" 6:08

Personnel

All music composed, arranged, and produced by Ray Lynch except The Oh of Pleasure which was co-written by Lynch and Tom Canning. [24]

Production

Charts

Chart (1988-1989)Position
Billboard New Age Albums [9] 2
Cash Box Indie Jazz Albums [25] 26

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [10] Platinum1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belinda Carlisle</span> American singer (born 1958)

Belinda Jo Carlisle is an American singer and songwriter. She gained fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, one of the two most successful all-female rock bands of all time, and went on to have a prolific career as a solo artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Shins</span> American indie rock band

The Shins is an American indie rock band formed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1996. The band is the project of singer-songwriter James Mercer, who has served as the band's sole constant member throughout numerous line-up changes. The band's current line-up consists of Mercer, alongside Yuuki Matthews, Mark Watrous, Patti King (keyboards), and Jon Sortland (drums). They are based in Portland, Oregon.

New-age is a genre of music intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management to bring about a state of ecstasy rather than trance, or to create a peaceful atmosphere in homes or other environments. It is sometimes associated with environmentalism and New Age spirituality; however, most of its artists have nothing to do with "New Age spirituality," and some even reject the term.

<i>Breakfast in America</i> 1979 studio album by Supertramp

Breakfast in America is the sixth studio album by the English rock band Supertramp, released on 16 March 1979, by A&M Records. It was recorded in 1978 at The Village Recorder in Los Angeles. It spawned three US Billboard hit singles: "The Logical Song", "Goodbye Stranger", and "Take the Long Way Home". In the UK, "The Logical Song" and the title track were both top 10 hits, the only two the group had in their native country.

Raymond Lynch is an American guitarist, lutenist, keyboardist, and composer. In the late 1960s, Lynch performed on the lute in New York's Renaissance Quartette, but he withdrew to California and began incorporating electronic music elements, as heard in 1983's The Sky of Mind. He vaulted to fame in 1986 with the single "Celestial Soda Pop" and the 1984 album Deep Breakfast, becoming the first independent new-age artist certified Gold for sales of 500,000. Lynch sued his label Music West and joined Windham Hill in 1992 before retiring in 2000.

<i>Faith</i> (George Michael album) 1987 studio album by George Michael

Faith is the debut solo studio album by the English singer George Michael, released on 2 November 1987 by Columbia Records and Epic Records. In addition to playing various instruments on the album, Michael wrote and produced every track on the recording except for one, "Look at Your Hands", which he co-wrote with David Austin. A pop album with influences of R&B, funk and soul music, Faith's songs include introspective lyrics, which generated controversies about Michael's personal relationships at that time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laraaji</span> American multi-instrumentalist (b. 1943)

Laraaji is an American multi-instrumentalist specializing in piano, zither and mbira. His albums include the 1980 release Ambient 3: Day of Radiance, produced by Brian Eno as part of his Ambient series.

<i>Hold an Old Friends Hand</i> 1988 studio album by Tiffany

Hold an Old Friend's Hand is the second studio album by American singer Tiffany, released on November 21, 1988, by MCA Records. It was produced by George Tobin, who previously worked with Tiffany on her self-titled debut album. Hold an Old Friend's Hand is a teen pop and bubblegum pop album that explores the themes of young adulthood. Musically, the album incorporates elements of pop, rock, funk, disco, dance, and country pop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exotic Birds</span> American synthpop music group

The Exotic Birds was an American Synthpop music group formed in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, in 1982 by three Cleveland Institute of Music percussion students. The three wrote their own music and have been described as synthpop and dance. They achieved local success, appearing as an opening band for Culture Club, Eurythmics, and Information Society.

<i>Dynamo</i> (Soda Stereo album) 1992 studio album by Soda Stereo

Dynamo is the sixth studio album by Argentinian rock band Soda Stereo. It was first released in Argentina on 26 October 1992 by Sony Music Argentina.

<i>No Blue Thing</i> 1989 studio album by Ray Lynch

No Blue Thing is Ray Lynch’s fourth studio album, released on August 15, 1989. It peaked at #1 on Billboard's "Top New Age Albums" chart as well as #197 on Billboard's "Top 200 Albums". The album also peaked at #16 on Gavin Report.

<i>Nothing Above My Shoulders but the Evening</i> 1993 studio album by Ray Lynch

Nothing Above My Shoulders but the Evening is Ray Lynch’s fifth and final studio album. It reflects Lynch's classical background and features performances by members of the San Francisco Symphony. The album was released after Lynch signed with Windham Hill Records. It peaked at #1 on Billboard's "Top New Age Albums" chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breakfast in America (song)</span> 1979 single by Supertramp

"Breakfast in America" is the title track from English rock band Supertramp's 1979 album of the same name. Credited to Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, it was a top-ten hit in the UK and a live version of the song reached No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1981. The lyrics tell about a person, presumably British, who dreams of visiting the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take the Long Way Home (Supertramp song)</span> 1979 single by Supertramp

"Take the Long Way Home" is the third US single and sixth track of English rock band Supertramp's 1979 album Breakfast in America. It was the last song written for the album, being penned during the nine-month recording cycle. In 1980, the live version from Paris became a minor hit in various European countries.

<i>Keys to Imagination</i> 1986 studio album by Yanni

Keys to Imagination is the second studio album by Greek keyboardist and composer Yanni, released on the Private Music label in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">America (Neil Diamond song)</span> Song by Neil Diamond

"America" is a song written and originally recorded by Neil Diamond, released in 1980 on the soundtrack album of Diamond's film The Jazz Singer. The song was a hit single in the United States in 1981, reaching number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, and was Diamond's sixth number one on the Adult Contemporary chart. Billboard also rated it the #62 pop single overall for 1981. Although the single version was a studio recording, overdubs of crowd cheering simulate the feel of a live performance.

<i>Best Of, Volume One</i> 1998 greatest hits album by Ray Lynch

Best Of, Volume One is Ray Lynch's first compilation album. In addition to songs from Lynch's previous albums, the compilation also includes three new music tracks, Ralph's Rhapsody, The Music of What Happens, and a remix of Celestial Soda Pop. The album peaked at #19 on Billboard's "Top New Age Albums Chart".

<i>Im a Writer, Not a Fighter</i> 1973 studio album by Gilbert OSullivan

I'm a Writer, Not a Fighter is the third studio album by Irish singer-songwriter Gilbert O'Sullivan, originally released by MAM Records in September 1973. After becoming one of the most successful performers worldwide in 1972, O'Sullivan pursued new directions with the album, taking influence from rock music and funk and incorporating an array of then-new electric keyboards, as well as emphasizing a new rhythmical focus. The album was recorded "on and off" with producer Gordon Mills at the latter's studio, and although several overdubs were recorded in the United States, O'Sullivan referred to the album as an ultimately "very ad hoc home-based" project.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morris Pleasure</span> American singer and producer (born 1962)

Morris "Mo" Joseph Pleasure is an American composer, singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Pleasure is a former member of band's Earth, Wind & Fire and the Average White Band. As of now he's the current musical director of singer Bette Midler. Pleasure has also worked with artists such as Ray Charles, Najee, George Duke, Marion Meadows and Natalie Cole. Along with the likes of Roberta Flack, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Brian Culbertson and David Foster.

"Celestial Soda Pop" is a song by American new-age musician Ray Lynch for his third album, Deep Breakfast.

References

  1. ↑ Widders-Ellis, Andy (December 1989). "Ray Lynch: Exploring the Structure of Music". Keyboard. 15 (12): 29. Lynch records and mixes his albums in his home studio.
  2. ↑ Patti Jean Birosik, The New Age Music Guide: Profiles and Recordings of 500 Top New Age Musicians, p113, 1989, Collier MacMillan, ISBN   0-02-041640-7, "Deep Breakfast...one of the best-selling New Age Space music albums ever"
  3. 1 2 Deep Breakfast (liner notes). Music West. 1991.
  4. 1 2 Ruhlmann, William. "Deep Breakfast Review". AllMusic. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
  5. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2006). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Muze. p. 384. ISBN   0195313739.
  6. ↑ McCormick, Moira (December 19, 1987). "Mainstream New Age Promo A Hit" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 99, no. 51. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  7. ↑ Mayfield, Geoff (October 25, 1986). "Indies". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. N-4, N-20. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
  8. ↑ Selvin, Joel (May 26, 1990). "Lynch Finds Gold in Marin Hills". San Francisco Chronicle . p. C4.
  9. 1 2 "New Age Music: Top New Age Albums Chart". Billboard. January 28, 1989. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  10. 1 2 "American album certifications – Ray Lynch – Deep Breakfast". Recording Industry Association of America.
  11. ↑ "Ray Lynch: Deep Breakfast". Digital Audio & Compact Disc Review. 3 (5): 19. January 1987. Several of his themes, "The Oh of Pleasure," "Your Feeling Shoulders," and "Tiny Geometries," as well as the disc's title, were taken from the unpublished Buddhist novel The Mummery by Da Free John.
  12. ↑ Means, Andrew (May 30, 1989). "Ray Lynch prefers studios to stages for his harmonics". The Arizona Republic . 100 (12): 18–19. Many of the titles on Deep Breakfast and No Blue Thing come from The Mummery, Love-Ananda's unpublished novel. Lynch said the novel is about 'the transcendence of the ego,' and it may be published this year. [...] Despite the references to Love-Ananda's book, Lynch said he's not trying to promote a particular philosophy through the music.
  13. 1 2 Yanow, Scott (August 1987). "Fine Instrumental Cuisine from Ray Lynch". Cymbiosis . 1 (3). West Covina, California: 22–23, 41. ISBN   9780793556878. ISSN   0895-6936. OCLC   16743840. 'A good friend of mine joked when hearing the first song that I should call it 'Celestial Soda Pop'. He was laughing, but the name stuck and it's a bit humerous. 'Rhythm in the Pews', although my own title, was suggested by a title in The Mummery, a published novel by Love Ananda.
  14. ↑ Lynch, Ray. "Deep Breakfast". www.raylynch.com. Retrieved April 2, 2017. An artist friend of Ray's, Kim Prager (now Zen Player), had heard some of the new music and asked for a copy of it, which Ray gave him. Several weeks later, Kim came back to Ray with this lively oil painting, which really captured the spirit of the music.
  15. ↑ Brown, Joe (October 2, 1987). "Nine to herald the 'new age'". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
  16. ↑ Henderson, Bill (December 7, 1986). "Alternative Music". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
  17. ↑ Birosik, P.J. "Yoga Journal". No. November / December 1989. Active Interest Media, Inc. p. 102. Retrieved March 19, 2017.
  18. ↑ Stockdale, David (August 21, 1988). "Deep Breakfast". Sunday Tasmanian . More in the Vangelis mould of romantic-melodrama is Your Feeling Shoulders. It soars to a majestic climax on the wings of his resonant keyboards...Deep Breakfast more than lives up to the claim that it's a modern masterpiece. It's an absolute joy to behold.
  19. ↑ "Ray Lynch: Deep Breakfast". Digital Audio & Compact Disc Review. 3 (5): 19. January 1987. Deep Breakfast is a triumph for Lynch and a step forward toward maturity for New Age music.
  20. ↑ "Deep Breakfast". Electronic Musician . 2 (1). January 1986. Retrieved April 10, 2017. A former lutist with a renaissance quartet, Lynch's relationship with synthesizers is a bit different from a keyboardist's. Specifically, he constructs neoclassical, melodically beautiful songs of remarkable clarity — due in part to the percussive, short-envelope sounds with which he works. You can feel the baroque roots.
  21. ↑ Korte, Steve (August 1994). "New Age Leaders". CD Review . 10 (12): 24. His 1984 Deep Breakfast disc (Windham Hill) is considered a classic, and his perky instrumental composition "Celestial Soda Pop" from that album is a standard that you've probably heard dozens of times in your local supermarket or dentist's office.
  22. ↑ "Tickertape" (PDF). June 3, 1989. p. 2. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
  23. ↑ Ray Lynch / Deep Breakfast / Track Listing. Allmusic.com. Accessed August 15, 2016.
  24. ↑ Das, Ramana (January–February 1986). "Windows of Sound". Yoga Journal (66): 70. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  25. ↑ "Cash Box Indie Jazz Albums" (PDF). December 17, 1988. p. 24. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.